I agree 100% with Dr. Grazie Pozo Christie when she states in “The coming abortion showdown” in the Sept. 10 issue that the fetus is “a vulnerable, endearing member of the human family.” But we cannot wait for the government to save the lives of these unborn babies. Instead, we must give it our highest priority as Catholics. We must heed Christ’s words to give to God what is God’s.

In my many years as a Catholic, I have heard many financial appeals coming from the pulpit on a weekly basis: for buildings, education, retired priests, missions, etc. But I rarely hear an appeal to support desperately poor women who want to keep their babies.

The Church must do more than issue proclamations, threats, and lamentations regarding the plight of the unborn. It needs to make providing services to save these babies a top financial priority as well. The bulk of my charitable giving goes directly to organizations that shelter and serve unwed mothers. I hope other Catholics will do the same.

— Linda Johnson, Long Beach